Kinds of Authenticity – Part II

Practically every serious description of the “authentic person” extant implies that such a person, by virtue of what he has become, assumes a new relation to his society and indeed, to society in general. He not only transcends himself in various ways; he also transcends his culture. He resists enculturation. He becomes more detached from his culture and from his society. He becomes a little more a member of his species and a little less a member of his local group. My feeling is that most sociologists and anthropologists will take this hard. I therefore confidently expect controversy in this area. —Abraham Maslow Disclaimer: Some of what I discuss below may challenge, perhaps even offend some people. If you are a person who is easily offended or who prefers not to have your worldview challenged, consider this your “trigger warning.” Proceed at your own risk. ~~~ In the first part of this essay, I have only touched on the fact that “authenticity” may have different—potentially…

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